Fabian Núñez

Fabian Núñez
65th Speaker of the California State Assembly
In office February 9, 2004 – May 13, 2008
Governor	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Preceded by	Herb Wesson
Succeeded by	Karen Bass
Member of the California State Assembly from the 46th district
In office December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2008
Preceded by	Gil Cedillo
Succeeded by	John Pérez
Personal details
Born	December 27, 1966 San Diego, California, United States
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Pitzer College(B.A.)
Profession	Politician

Fabian Núñez (Fabián Núñez, Fabian Nuñez and less commonly Fabian Nunez) (born December 27, 1966 in San Diego, United States) has been a labor union adviser and a Democratic politician. He served three, two year terms as a member of the State Assembly, leaving office in late 2008. During his last two terms, Nunez was the Assembly Speaker, the 66th person to hold that position.

Career

Prior to elective official

From 1996 to 2000, Fabian Núñez served as the Political Director for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and, between 2000–2002, was the Government Affairs Director for the Los Angeles Unified School District.^[1][2]

As an elected official

Núñez was elected to the California State Assembly to represent the 46th district in 2002. Later, on February 9, 2004 he was selected as the Speaker of the California Assembly.^[3]

When Núñez was elected, the Los Angeles Times reported that he promised to "foster a spirit of bipartisanship in the Assembly..." He was quoted saying, "We should reestablish this great legislative body as the house of ideas. And more importantly, we must work together for the benefit of all Californians."^[4] During his tenure as speaker, the San Francisco Chronicle editorialized that the 2005/2006 "legislative session represented one of the most productive in recent memory."^[5]

Throughout his term, Núñez authored several laws critical to the financial and environmental health of California including a $1.25 increase in the minimum wage,^[6] and a measure to promote competition among cable television providers.^[7]

In August 2005, Núñez traveled to Mexico to meet with the president of Mexico, Vicente Fox, other high level government officials, and business leaders. The declared purpose of his journey was to strengthen ties between Mexico and California that he claimed had deteriorated under California's governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.^[8][9] At the invitation of Nunez, president Fox eventually traveled to Sacramento and addressed a special joint session of the California State Legislature.^[10]

Núñez supported and advocated for the passage of the 2006 infrastructure bonds. He authored both the education (Proposition 1B) and water levee bond (Proposition 1D) in the Legislature. Former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg spoke about Núñez' involvement with the passage of the bonds on May 17, 2006: "And ultimately credit goes to Speaker Fabian Núñez, who is a very keen legislator who understands how to put the pieces and parts together and see the big picture. He was instrumental in taking what was failure last time and putting it all together this time. Fabian is willing to work with all sides and wants to get things done."^[11]

Núñez passed a law in 2006 that will establish a program to provide prescription drugs at discount prices to about five million uninsured and underinsured Californians. The new law will require the state department of Health Services to negotiate discounts with drug manufacturers.^[12] That same year, Núñez authored AB 32 that was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. AB 32 created the nation's first cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The law set new regulations on the amount of emissions utilities, refineries and manufacturing plants are allowed to release into the atmosphere.^[13]

In 2007, Núñez was named "Public Official of the Year" by Governing Magazine. The magazine highlighted his legislative leadership and accomplishments:^[14]

Fabian Núñez doesn't think compromise is a dirty word. California's Assembly speaker has played a classic legislative leadership role as the bridge between Republican governor and a strongly liberal majority Democratic caucus, helping to forge and shepherd through a long list of impressive legislation over the past couple of years.

His personal scorecard includes a $40 billion infrastructure bond package, a $7 billion prison building and rehabilitation measure, and a landmark global-warming law that is already being imitated by other states. "Some people feel you can't compromise because you're setting your values aside," he continues. "I believe the opposite. You're fighting for your beliefs when you can move the ball forward." In 2009, Núñez was also listed as one of 2009's Top 100 Influential Leaders in the Hispanic U.S.^[15]

On October 10, 2007, the Los Angeles Times reported that Núñez had allegedly spent tens of thousands of dollars of campaign money for personal expenses.^[16] However, October 27, 2009, Political Blotter reported that the FPPC had cleared Núñez of all accusations.^[17]

Post elected office

Due to term limits, Núñez had to retire from the Assembly after 2008. Starting in fall 2007, he actively campaigned in support of a statewide proposition to amend the term limits law, including being made eligible to serve an additional six years as speaker. This ballot measure, (California Proposition 93 (2008)), was widely seen as a power grab on the part of Núñez and Senate Majority Leader Don Perata.^[18] In the election of February 5, 2008 the voters of California rejected Proposition 93.^[19] He was succeeded by Karen Bass.^[20]

Upon leaving office in 2008, the San Diego Union Tribune quoted Jamie Regalado, director of the Pat Brown Institute at the California State University, Los Angeles saying of Núñez' tenure as speaker, "In that sense, for many working families, for much of the state's poor, not only in his district, he has to be seen as a strong champion."^[21]

After serving as speaker of the Assembly, Núñez was named as co-chair of the Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential bid.^[22][23] In addition, Núñez joined a national bipartisan public strategy firm, Mercury as a partner managing the Sacramento and Los Angeles offices.^[24] Núñez is also on the Board of Directors for the U.S Soccer Federation and previously serviced on the University of California Board of Regents.^[25] In 2010, Núñez filed paperwork to run for the California Senate^[26] but withdrew.^[27] Núñez created a campaign finance committee and announced that he will run for California State Treasurer in 2014, when incumbent Bill Lockyer is termed out.^[28] Nunez formed an exploratory committee for California State Treasurer in 2018.^[29]

Personal life

Núñez is the tenth of twelve children. He was born in San Diego, California to Mexican parents, but the family lived in Tijuana, Mexico (across the international border from San Diego) until Fabian was 7 years old. He spent the rest of his youth in Logan Heights, a San Diego neighborhood.^[30] His parents eventually became United States citizens. At the age of 31, Núñez earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in both political science and education from Pitzer College in Claremont, California.^[31][32] Nunez also has a son that had his sentence reduced by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Nunez's son committed murder and due to a shady backroom deal between Fabian Nunez and Schwarzenegger was able to have his sentence reduced.

References

1. Vogel, Nancy; Ingram, Carl. "Nunez Attracted to State Politics Early". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times.
2. Lawrence, Jill. "L.A. schools chief Romer refuses to walk away". USA Today. USA Today.
3. "California Speaker Fabian Núñez Named To U.S. Soccer's Board of Directors". US Soccer. US Soccer.
4. L.A.'s Nunez Is Formally Chosen Assembly Speaker, Los Angeles Times, January 09, 2004
5. Gov. Schwarzenegger to stay the courseSan Francisco Chronicle, October 18, 2006
6. SACRAMENTO / Minimum wage hike is now law / Governor signs bill -- Núñez at his side San Francisco Chronicle, September 13, 2006
7. Lifsher, Marc; Granelli, James S. "Cities May Lose Hold on Cable". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times.
8. Politics – Núñez meets with Mexico's president – sacbee.com
9. Mendel, Ed. "Speaker hopes to help image of Schwarzenegger". San Diego Union Tribune. San Diego Union Tribune.
10. In Mexico, Núñez is forced to explain border comments | The San Diego Union-Tribune
11. Hertzberg: State Infrastructure Bond Results from Consensus-Building & Need The Planning Report, May 17, 2006
12. CALIFORNIA / New laws to change lives at basic level / Many Californians will notice changes as legislators' efforts come to fruition on Monday San Francisco Chronicle, December 29, 2006
13. "Assembly Bill 32 Overview". California Environmental Protection Agency. California Environmental Protection Agency.
14. 2007 Public Officials of the Year: Fabian Núñez GOVERNING
15. "Hon. Fabian Núñez". Mercury. Retrieved February 2016.
16. Lopez, Steve (October 10, 2007). "Mr. Nu̱ez, who are you wining and dining? РLos Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times.
17. FPPC clears Fabian Nunez of two complaints Political Blotter, October 27, 2009
18. A deceptive Prop. 93
19. Voters reject Prop. 93 on term limits
20. Official member list for the California State Assembly as of December 3, 2008
21. Ex-assembly speaker Núñez looks at options for his future San Diego Union Tribune, May 18, 2008
22. Nunez to co- chair Clinton campaign Inside Bay Area, April 26, 2007
23. Martelle, Scott. "State Speaker Nunez joins Clinton's campaign". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times.
24. Honorable Fabian Núñez
25. "THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA" (PDF). University of California. University of California.
26. Goldmacher, Shane. "Fabian Núñez files for state Senate". The Sacramento Bee. The Sacramento Bee.
27. Join California-Election History for the State of California—Fabian Núñez
28. Ex-Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez eyes treasurer bid in 2014
29. "Candidates and Elected Officials". California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.
30. Sweeney, James. "Ex-assembly speaker Núñez looks at options for his future". UT San Diego. UT San Diego.
31. "Pitzer College". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
32. Bradley, Bill. "TAKING ON ARNOLD". LA Weekly. LA Weekly.

Newspaper profiles

• Sacramento Bee, "On the rise," February 7, 2004
• Los Angeles Times, "Nuñez travels the world like a high-roller," October 5, 2007
• How Núñez rose to power so fast Champion of Prop. 93, in Assembly only 5 years, had modest beginnings

External links

• Official California State Assembly profile
• Political History at Join California
• Interview with the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy